Primary battery



W. M. SHAKESPEARE.

PRIMARY BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e. 1920.

1&407489. Patented 3610.21, 1922.

if Z

granted May 13 r rena es.

ELIAM M. F= ESPABE, 0F SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB, T0 VNEW d' LePATENT COMPANY', OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPQRATION 0F V,residentof South Orange, Essex County, 5 New Jersey, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Primary Batteries, of which the following isa descriptlon.

My invention relates to primary batteries,

,being in some aspects an improvement on the inventions disclosed inPatent No. 1,061,541 1913 to Hudson and Elmes, and in Patent o.1,138,363, granted May 4, 1913, to Elmes, and the principal objectthereof is to provide such batteries with improved means designed togive a more accurate indication or measure, at any time, of the amountof energy that has been expended and the amount of energy stillavailable, as well as to ive a more accurate advance indication of t eapproaching exhaustion or consumptionof the positive electrode elementsof such batteries in order that such elements may, if desired,.beremoved and replaced at the proper time.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed.

My invention is designed particularly for ,that class of primarybatteriesin which the negative electrode consists of an element orelements of oxid of copper or other depolarizing agent and the positiveelectrode consists of an element or elements of zinc. In accordance withthe invention disclosed in Patents Nos. 1,061,541 and 1,138,363, mentioned above, the zinc positive elements for batteries of this type areprovided with portions or panels of reduced and varying thicknesswhereby the appearance of perforations in such portions or panels, asthe elements ments.

are consumed durin the action of the cell,

serves as the means or indicating the energy.

expenditure of the cells or the extent of consumption of the positiveelements and also the approaching exhaustion or substantially completeconsumption of the positive ele- This means of indication isobjectionable for the following reasons: y

. 1. In order to obtain indications which are at all accurate by thismeans, it is necessary that the corresponding reduced portions or panelsof like. ositive zinc elements should be made of uni orm thickness. Asthese zinc positive elements are molded, thisv is extremely diiicult dueto the fact that in successive castings zinc oxide builds upon theSpecication of Letters Patent.

Application led May 6,

Y BATTERY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922. 1920. Serial No. 379,403.

mold faces. In this connection it is noted that the point in theoperation of the discharge of a primary battery cell provided with aeine positive element at which the perforations will appear in suchelement, will, other things bein equal, vary directly as the thicknessof suc element.

2. Zinc of different crystalline structure or amalgamation appears to beconsumed `under electrolytic action, at different rates. Consequently asit is very diilicult at the present time to control the crystallinestructure of cast zinc, from which the positive elements of batteries ofthis type are made, the rate at which these elements are consumed and,therefore, the points in the operation of these batteries at whichperforations appear in the reduced portions or panels provided 1n suchelements in accordance with the inventions of the two patents abovementioned, doubtless vary greatly.

3. In the majority of batteries of this character the battery elementsare secured together, as by means of a supporting bolt, only at theupper end thereof, and consequently in such batteries the elementassembly is somewhat flexible and the distances between thenegativeelements and the adjacent positive zinc elements vary to a considerabledegree in diferent cells. This, it is believed, will result in thereduced indicating portions or panels provided in zinc elements inaccordance with the inventions of the two patents mentioned, beingconsumed at different rates in di'erent cells.

My invention resides in the provision of indicating means in a primarybattery whereby all of the foregoing objections are practicallyobviated; and more specifically described, the invention consists inproviding a primary battery'cell with indicating means preferablyseparate and distinct from the battery electrodes and preferably mountedin iixed relation to the negative electrode. Preferably this indicatingmeans consists of a strip of rolled zinc,which is much more uniform instructure than cast zinc and which may readily be made of practicallyuniform thickness. This indicator strip is mounted in fixed relation tothe negative electrode of the cell as by being secured in xed positionon the zinc elementsupporting bolt usuali employed in batteries of thistype and whic is carried b the negative electrode. ln case several dierent indications of the energy consumption are desired, a plurality ofsuch indicating strips of different thicknesses may be employed in agiven cell or a single strip having portions o different thicknesses maybe used,'which strips or portions may, if desired, be suitably marked todenote the amount of energy'necessary to be expended to substantiallycompletely consume the' same.

ln order that'my invention may be more clearly understood, attention isdirected to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification and in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of aprimary battery cell provided with indicating means 1n acordance with myinvention Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but at right anglesthereto; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View 1n perspectlve of a modified form ofindicator element which may be employed in place of the indicatorelements shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, and especially to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, reerence character 1 represents an ordinary battery -jar or container,preferably of glass, provided wlth the usual cover 2, also preferablyformed of glass or other insulating material such as porcelain.Reference character 3 represents a hanger or frame for carrying thenegative oxid ofcopper plate 10, and referably constructed ofa strip orsheet o copper or copper-plated iron or steel. The hanger 3 `ispreferably in the form of an inverted U as is usual, and is supportedfrom the cover 2 in any suitable manner as by a bolt or screwthreadedrod 4 suitably Secured thereto and extending through an apertureprovided therefor in the cover, and a nut 5 threaded on'the rod.Across-bar 6, secured at its ends to the arms of the hanger 3 bears onthe top of the negativel plate 10. Insulating blocks 7, preferablylformed of porcelain, are provided with reduced inner end portionsdisposed in recesses or notches provided therefor in the Iupper endportion of the negative plate 10 and in the cross-bar 6. The usual zincpositive plates 11, l1 are4 respectively disposed at opposite sides ofthe negative copper oxid plate 10 in spaced relation thereto, these zincplates being supported by a bolt or rod 8 carried by the insulatingblocks 7 this bolt or rod extending through the insulating blocks 7 andthrough lu 9, 9 respectively secured to and extending upwardly from thezinc plates 11, 11. The parts are rigidly secured. together with thezinc plates 11,' 11 spaced and insulated from the negative copper oxldplate 10, by means of nuts 12, 12 threaded on the rod 8 and turned uptightl against the outer faces of the lugs 9, 9, pair of fiat strips 13an'd 14, preferably formed of rolled zinc, are respectively4 mounted onthe end portions. of the bolt 8 and securely fastened thereon 1n fixedspaced Vrelation to the negative plate 10 between the tangular in shapeand of such size that the lower edge thereof will engage the top edge ofthe adjacent positive plate 11 whereby such strip will be prevented fromturning on the bolt 8. The bolt or threaded rod 4 constitutes Aoneterminal of the cell, it being electrically connected with the negativeplate 10. The other terminal of the cell, as shown, consists of aconductor 17 extending through an aperture provided therefor in thecover 2 and secured to the rod 8, which is electrically connected toboth of the positive plates 11, 11, between one o f the nuts 16 andanother nut 18 threaded on this rod.

The electrolyte 19 in which the battery elements are immersed isacaustic alkaline solution, preferably a solution of sodium hydroxide,and the level thereof is maintained at a point above the negative plate10 and the positive platesI 11, 11 and also above the rolled zinc strips13 and 14. It will therefore be apparent that the strips 13 and 14,which as described above are secured in fixed spaced relation'to thenegative plate 10, will be' subjected to the electrolytlc orelectrochexnical action of the cell. Moreover, these strips will beconstantl consumed ata uniform rate when the ce l is in operation, andwill be substantially completely consumed at predeterminedextents ofconsumption of the positive plates 11, 11.

The thinner strip 13 is preferably of such a thickness that it will besubstantially completely consumed when the-positive plates 11, 11 havebeen one-half consumed, that is, after the expenditure of approximatelyonehalf the energy at which the cell is rated; while the strip 14 is ofsuch thickness that it will be substantially completely consumed onlyslightly in advance of the positive zinc plates 11, 11, thus giving anadvance indication of the exhaustion of the cell.

Instead of using a plurality of strips of different thickness for thepurpose of givingindications of -the condition of the cell, I ma employa single strip having ortions of dlferent thickness. Such a strip 30 isshown in Fig. 3. This strip 30 is 'preferably rectangular in shape andis adapted to be mounted on the bolt 8 of the cell shown in Figs. 1and;2 in place of one of the strips 13 and 14, in which case the otherof these strips is omitted. The strip 30 is provided with a plurality ofstepped portions 20, 21,

22 and 23 which are of increasing thickness 1n the order mentioned andwith a ments of my 11,11 and-When the cell is nearly central portion 24thicker than the portion he central portion 24 is provided with anaperture 25 for the reception ofthe bolt It will be apparent'that whenthe strip 30 is employed, each of thev portions 20, 21, 22 and 23thereof will be substantially completely consumed after diiferent andpredetermined extents of consumption of the positive plates 11, 11 or,after different and predetermined amounts of energy have been expended,whereby. several indications of the extent of consumption of thepositive plates and the approximate amount of energy expended and thatstill available will be obtained duringthe discharge of the cell. Theportion 23 is made of such thickness that it will be substantiallycompletely consumed at the same time 'as the positive plates exhausted,thus giving an advance indication of the 'approaching exhaustion of thecell.

It is to be understoodl that the embodiinvention specifically shown anddescribed herein are subject'tonumerous changes and modificationswithoutdeparture from the spirit 'of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

aving now described my invention, what desire to -protect by LetteisPatent of the United States, is as follows: ,Y

1. Ina primary cell, an electrode consumable in the operation of thecell, and an indicating element also consumable in the operation of thecell, the extent of consumption of said indicating element during theoperation of the cell Y mined relation to the extent of consumption ofsaid consumable electrode, substantially as described.

2. VIn a primary cell, an electrode consumable in the operation of thecell, an electrode of opposite polarity thereto, and an' indicatingelement consumable in the operation of the cell in predetermined spacedrelation to said electrode of opposite polarity, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a prima of opposite polarities, one of said electrodes beingconsumable through the electro-chemical ation of the cell, an indicatingelement having a precleter-V cell, a'pair of electrodes lso consumablethrough the electrode-l said'element being so spaced.from the other ofsaid electrodes andhaving a portion ness that such portion will besubstantially consumed at a predetermined extent of consumption` of.saidv consumable electrode, substantially as described.

4. In a primary cell, an electrode consumable in the operation of thecell, an electrode of Aopposite polarity thereto, and means forindicating the extent of consumption of said consumable electrodecomprising material consumable in the operation of the cell, saidmaterial being spaced from said electrode of opposite polarity andhaving portions of different thicknees, substantlally as described.

5. In a primary cell, electrolyte, a pair of electrodes therein, one ofsaid electrodes being consumable, and means for indicating the extent ofvconsumption thereof comprisin a consumable element insulated from theoter of said electrodes and fixed at a prechemical action of the cell,

determined distance 4therefrom and immersed in said electrolyte and inelectrical connection with substantially'as described. e A

6. In a primary cell, the combination with a copper oxide negativeelectrode and a zinc positive electrode, of an element composed ofrolled zinc, said element being mounted in the cell so as to besubjected tothe electrolytic action thereof, wherebythe condition ofsuch elementv servesV as an indication ofV the expenditure,substantially as described.

7. In a. primary cell, the combination with the positive and negativeelectrodes and supporting means rigidly connecting the electrodes ininsulated spaced relation, of an element formed of material which isconsumable under cell applied to said supporting means in insulatedspaced relation to the negative electrode, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 3rd day of May, 1920.

Witnesses GEORGE P. NEWMAN,

WILLIAM A. Y.

the electrolytic action of the4 said consumable electrode,

